Machine



(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 1. J. GILL. PAPER FOLDING MACHINE.

No. 594,245. Patented Nov. 23, 1897.

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Attorney.

(No Model.)

J. GILL. PAPER FOLDING MACHINE.

Patented Nov. 23, 1897.

W itnesses.

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PAPER FOLDING MACHINE. v No. 594,245. Patented Nov. 23, 1897.

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Ohm/Q9 Viz/my NITED STATES ATENT Fries.

JAMES GILL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE CHAMBERSBROTHERS COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

PAPER-FOLDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 594,245, dated November23, 1897'. Application filed January 29, 1897. Serial No. 621,219. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES GILL, a citizen of the United States, residingat the city and county of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPaper-FoldingMachines, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, ofwhich- Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a general plan view. Fig. 2, Sheet 2, is aside elevation of Fig. 1. Fig. 3, Sheet 3, is a plan view, partly insection, of the shoo-fly and parts relating thereto. Fig. 4 is a sideelevation, partly in section, of Fig. 3. I

This invention relates to folding-machines wherein the folded sheet ofpaper or signature passes from the last pair of folding-rollers into adevice known as a shoo-fly,

which turns the signature at right angles, or thereabout, as it leavesthe said rollers and delivers it (the signature) to the subjacentpacking-trough. Heretofore it frequently happened that the signaturestuck in the shoo-fly, and consequently did not descend.

into the packing-trough; also, when the shoofly swung back into positionto receive the succeeding signature from the folding-rollers thepreceding one that had stuck fast in the shoo-fly clogged the latter,or, having descended some distance, was caught between the oscillatingshoo-fly and its fixed baseplate and thus became torn or mutilated.

The object of my present invention is to avoid the foregoing results,which I do by carrying down the signature from the shoo-fiy to thepacking-trough positively at the proper time by means of a simple andeflicient mech anism which I shall now proceed to describe, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, in which 1 marks the frame ofwell-known form of folding-machine; 2, the last set of foldingrollers;3, the usual folding-blade for tucking the sheet to be finally foldedinto the bite of said rollers. The mechanism for driving the latter andfor reciprocating the folding-blade being well known requires noparticular description.

4 is the Shoo-fly, which is similar in general construction andoperation to the shoo-fiies in common usethat is to say, it consists ofa pivoted transfer-box 4, open at the top and bottom, with its mouthnormally in line with the folding-rollers 2, with means for swinging iton its pivot in the arc of a circle, so as to bring the same intoposition to deliver into the subjacent packing-trough, together with aquadrant-table 4*, upon which the lower edge of the folded sheet dropsas it leaves the folding-rollers.

5 is the shaft, that is rotated by power applied thereto, and whichthrough the medium of suitable gears and connections actuates thefoldingrollers, the folding-blade, the packing-trough plunger-rod 6, theshoo-fly, and the mechanism combined with the latter, whereby the resultwhich is the object of my present invention is accomplished.

The transfer-box arm 7 is pivoted upon a vertical rod or standard 8,whose upper end is fixed to the frame of the machine. To an extension 9of the said arm is pivoted one end of a bar 10, whose other end ispivoted to an upwardly-extending arm 11, Figs. 3 and 4, that isfulcrumed on a stud 12, secured to the side of the machine-frame.Extending horizontally from the hub of the said arm 11 is a second arm13, having at its free end a roller 14, (shown in dotted lines in Figs.3 and 4,) that bears against the face of a cam 15, of the form and inthe relative position shown, upon a shaft 16, which shaft is rotated inthe direction of the arrow in Fig. 4 by suitable gears connected withthe driving-shaft. The said cam in its rotation actuates the arm 13, andconsequently through the arm 11 and its described connection with thetransfer box swings the latter against the stress of a spring 17 uponrod 8, one end of which spring is connected to the .arm 7 of thetransfer-box and its other end to a collar 18 upon said rod from itsposition for receiving the folded sheet from the rollers 2 into theposition shown in the drawings for delivery to the packing-trough 19. Asthe cam continues its rotation the said spring returns the transfer-boxto the former position. To the hub of arm 11 is also secured a dependingarm 20, to whose lower end is pivoted the rod 6 of the packing-troughplunger, (not shown,) which latter is also actuated by the movement'ofthe cam 15.

Fulcrumed on a horizonal shaft 21, that is secured to the machine-frameand is at right angles to and below the plane of the foldingrollers 2,is an arm or arms 22, in the upper or free end of which is j ournaled ahorizontal shaft 23, upon which is a gear 24, that engages a largeridler-gear 25 on the end of a shaft 26. lhe latter gear engages a gear27, which in turn engages a gear 28 on the driving-shaft 5.

Upon the shaft 23 of the small gear 24 are two disks or rollers 29, thatare in line with slots (not shown) in the adjacent side wall of thetransfer-box when the latter is in the position shown in thedrawings-that is to say, in position for delivering the folded sheet tothe packing-trough. 30 are two rollers in line with and similar torollers 29, except that in the present instance they are of lessdiameter than the latter. A portion of these rollers projects throughslots in the side'of the transfer-box, into the latter to a point aboutin line with the vertical axis of the box. Rollers 30 are carried by ashaft 31, that is j ournaled in bearings of plates 32, that are securedto lugs 33 of that side of the transferbox. I usually secure said platesby means of bolts 34, that for purposes of adjustment pass throughelongated slots 35, Fig. 3, in the plates.

Upon a rotatable shaft 36, driven by a gear engaging a gear on thedrivingshaft, is a cam 37 of suitable shape, as shown, against the faceof which bears a roller 38 on an arm 39, that is secured to arm 22 at apoint some distance above the fulcrum of the latter. The said arm 39 isenlarged at its free end and is provided with a slot 40, through whichthe shaft 36 passes, thus forming a guide and support for that end ofthe arm. To the arm 22 is also connected one end of a rod 41, whoseother end is adapted to slide in an aperture in a lug 42 of the frame ofthe machine. Said rod has thereon a normally open helical spring 43, oneend of which bears against a collar 44 on the rod and the other endagainst the inner side of the lug 42.

Having thus described the construction, I shall now proceed to describethe mode of operation of my invention, which is as follows:

Assuming that the working parts have arrived at that point in theoperation of the machine when the transfer-box, through the action ofcam 15 and its connections, has been rotated against the stress ofspring 17 to the position in line with the bite of the folding-rolls,and that the folded sheet has descendcd into said box, now as the saidcam continues its rotation, the eccentric part of its face moving out ofthe way, the spring 17 causes the transfenbox to swing on its pivot,carrying the sheet with it, to the position shown in the drawings, fordelivering the sheet to the packing-trough below. Of course the rollers30 follow the movement of the transfer-box. About coincident with thearrivalof the latter in the last-mentioned position the rotating cam 37,bearing upon the roller of the arm 39, (which, it will be remembered, issecured to the arm 22, that carries the shaft of gears 24 and disk orroller 29,) oscillates forward the said arm 22 and advances the rollers29 toward the transfer-box-until they come in contact with the oppositerollers 30, or rather in contact with the folded sheet, which is theninthe bite of the opposed rollers. As the arm 22 is fulcrumed on the shaft21, the teeth of the gear 24 keep in engagement with those of the largegear 25, and as the latter is continuously rotating in the direction ofthe arrow the former gear and so its shaft 23, and consequently theroller 29, are rotated forward. Thus the folded sheet is carriedpositively down until, escaping from the bite of rollers 29 and 30, itfalls into the packing-trough. The arm 22 is then swung back by thestress of the spring 43, and rollers 29 are retracted from thetransfenbox, finally reaching the position shown in the drawings.Shortly after the said rollers move out of the slots in the transfer-boxthe rotating cam 15 carries the latter back into position for thereception of a folded sheet coming from the folding-rollers.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. In a folding-machine of the class recited, thecombination of the folding-rollers and the shoo-fly, the rollers journaled to and projecting into the transfer-box of the latter, and theopposed coacting rollers; together with means for reciprocating the sameat predetermined intervals, contiguous to and away from thefirst-mentioned rollers, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. Ina folding-machine of the class recited, the combination with thefold ing-rollers and the shoo-fly of the rollers journaled to andprojecting into the transfer-box of the latter, means for swinging saidbox on its pivot, at predetermined intervals, the shaft having therollers, 29, opposed to the first-mentioned rollers, the pivoted arm,22, to which said shaft is journaled, the arm, 39, connected to arm, 22,the shaft, 36, carrying the cam adapted to impinge against arm, 39,means for imparting a rotary motion to said shaft and arm; together withthe spring adapted to draw arm, 22, and, consequently, the rollers, 29,toward the said rollers carried by the transfer-box, at an interval inthe rotation of said cam, all constructed and adapted to operatesubstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES GILL.

Witnesses:

CHARLES J. Lvnon, C. II. COCHRAN.

